Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or anything what you can recognize from the books. I do however own the plot of this story but I don't have profits because of it unless you count improving my English as a profit.

Preview: Our Slytherin duo after receiving disturbing information is tryig to reassure Harry that he is a normal boy and that being a Parselmouth is nothing to be worried about while both of them are freeting that this little information they got is something they should be worried about. Harry, Hermione, Neville and Sally-Anne meet their fellow classmates and watch as Regulus pulls 'Not Slytherin firendly Snape' uppon them. The Sorting Cermony and its aftermath.

So read, enjoy and review (because I love to read your criticism and as long as you are logged in or I have your email I'm answering to your questions).

Thanks for such welcoming reviews. Few of them will be explained bellow.


Chapter three: I'm the Head of Slytherin House.

Severus Snape prided himself as a man who rarely got shocked into speechless state. Not even the shock of Lily's death rendered him speechless, nor the fact that supposedly dead Regulus Black was in fact alive and well. But Harry's statement about being a Parselmouth rendered him speechless.

That couldn't be possible. Not Lily's son. No, it was some kind of a cruel joke, it had to be.

"Am I related to him?" Harry asked timidly. "You-Know-Who?"

Severus opened his mouth to object but no words come from his mouth.

"No," Regulus said fiercely. "Your mother wouldn't have done such a thing to your father for starters. Secondly You-Know-Who prided himself for possessing no heir."

"But I can…" Harry started.

"You can," Regulus nodded pensively. "But note also what I said about Salazar Slytherin, Harry. Salazar was a Muggle-born wizard and he was a Parselmouth. Parselmouths are extremely rare, Harry and Parseltongue, if we use the references to Muggle biology, are a dominating gene. Mostly it is passed by blood but it isn't impossible to be born as a Parselmouth, vide Slytherin himself. Your ability is nothing to be alarmed off."

"Really?" Harry asked hopefully.

"Really," Regulus nodded. "Nevertheless I should warn you to not show off this particular ability until you are in grave danger. People hate Parselmouth Harry, as much as they hate snakes."

"Why?" Harry asked nervously.

"Being Parselmouth is considered as dark. Parselmouths are feared Harry, obsessively. It's such a rare ability that not very much is known about it and people are weak, Harry. We hate things we don't understand, we don't need a very good reason to hate it. The fact that we can't understand it is a reason enough," Regulus explained.

"I will never use it," Harry whispered.

"Would you really?" Regulus asked simply. "If you and your friends were trapped in a pit of dangerous venomous snakes wouldn't you use your ability to try and drive them away … To save yourself and your friends?"

"But…" Harry started.

"A wise man told me once that it is not our abilities which makes us good or evil but our choices. You posses very rare ability, considered as dark, yes, but if you used it for a good cause it wouldn't be evil. Look at us," Regulus said fiercely. "We are both very well educated in Dark Arts but does our knowledge makes us evil? Or does it using it to saving someone's life? Not everything in the world is black and white, Harry, there are many shades of grey and people who can't tell difference between one and the other. Think about it," Regulus gave Harry a reassuring smile.

"Severus, would you mind going on a quick patrol now?" Regulus asked when Harry's face brightened a little.

Severus nodded absentmindedly and he quickly stood up. He got the message, whatever Regulus wanted to say wasn't supposed to be said in front of Harry. Severus left the compartment and went down the corridor to the bathroom. Thirty seconds later after Severus seated himself on the toilet he was joined by Regulus who looked very disturbed.

With a swish of the wand the door were closed and warded beyond the capacity of a Hogwarts student, no one could hear them now.

"So what do you think about new piece of information?" Regulus asked quietly as he fished out his pipe from his robes and lit it.

In last nine years Severus when got to know Regulus as Mufrid Lemeraude he learned few things about the man which wasn't supposed to change even now, like the fact that when Regulus was deeply disturbed he was smoking his damned pipe. Usually Severus scolded him that he had enough of breathing poisoned fumes in Potions classroom and send him away but today Severus felt an urge to snatch the pipe from Regulus's hands and take a deep breath of tobacco.

"It isn't good," Severus mumbled grimly. "Is it possible that …" he tried to say his fear but even thinking about it made it all more real.

"That Harry is a Horcrux?" Regulus asked grimly. "We have no proof that he is and no proof that he isn't," Regulus stated. "For all we know Harry could be a naturally born Parselmouth and our fears will have to remain just our fears. On the other hand no one knows what occurred in Godric's Hollow between Lily's death and Dark Lord's demise. If that night proved something to me, it proved that beyond any doubt the Dark Lord possesses a Horcrux, most probably more than one. But we can only guess why Harry lived when by all logic he should have died," Regulus leaned against the window, staring at Severus pointedly.

There were so many unasked questions in that statement. 'Why the Dark Lord didn't wanted to kill Lily? Why Dumbledore brought you to Hogwarts after the Dark Lord's demise? Why you are his most trusted man?'

Severus hated to answer this questions. For Merlin's sake it was private! But could he trust Black to not betray his most deepest secret to anyone, most importantly Harry?

But somehow Black had to trust him, trust him enough to reveal himself and reveal information which could help in getting rid of one Tom Marvolo Riddle for good.

"I loved her," Severus whispered, staring pointedly at his own shoes, just to not see the look on Regulus's face. "I hated him as fiercely as I loved her. I didn't give a damn about him, or the child but for Lily …"

"You begged him to spare her life," Regulus whispered.

"I did," Severus whispered. "I begged both of them to save her when I discovered … what I've done by revealing the prophecy to the Dark Lord. I had been laughed, ridiculed by both of them. Dumbledore said that he will protect them all…"

"That explains a lot," Regulus muttered. "That's why Dumbledore wanted you to be at Hogwarts. Because one day Harry Potter was supposed to come around and he needed you to protect him from the harm."

Severus nodded slowly and whispered, "What we are doing now?"

"We put our minds at ease until later today," Regulus said with a shrug. "Right now the only thing we can do is fret. We need as many information as possible about the subject of Horcruxes but between you and I one of us has to own a book which refers to Horcruxes even if Hogwarts library won't provide us any. Later in the week I will go to Wizarding Library of London if we can't find anything in our own books."

"Looking alarmed for no good reason isn't wise around Dumbledore. We both have to be at our best behaviour," Severus agreed.

"That is more yours thing than mine," Regulus snorted. "I can get away with being moody and I'm good enough Occlumens to keep my mind away from our nosy Headmaster. You on the other hand…"

"Oh, please," Severus snorted. "I spied on the Dark Lord and lived. I can keep secrets from Dumbledore if I want to."

"Good. Up for patrolling?" Regulus changed the subject.

"Indeed," Severus nodded. "But someone has to keep an eye on the quartet. It would be better if you came back to our compartment for now."

Regulus left with a quick nod but long minutes after he left Severus was still sitting docile on the toilet thinking about the latest events.


"Professor Lemeraude is right, Harry," admitted Neville timidly. "It might be considered as dark but think about it from practical point of view."

"How practical being able to talk to the snakes is other than what Lemeraude had said?" Harry shrugged nervously.

"Well for instant imagine having a rodent infestation in the garden. Snakes like eating rodents, right? Well you find a snake and tell it that as long as he doesn't hurts humans it can feast on the rodents. If it agrees you are both happy in that deal," Neville explained.

"It will be hard to find a snake in Little Whinging or rodents," Harry sighed. "But it is a good example."

"What about the Slytherin, Harry?" Hermione supplied. "I bet that Slytherin dormitories are full of snakes. Imagine talking about the history of Hogwarts or goings in the castle with snakes and you are the only one to talk with them."

"Or asking them for protection," Harry mumbled. "Think that they would agree to keep me and my friends from harm if we by any chance get sorted into Slytherin?"

"Why we would want to be sorted into Slytherin?" asked Neville nervously.

"Well, you heard Professor Lemeraude. Slytherin is the house for ambitious," said Hermione quickly.

"I will be a Hufflepuff, most likely," Neville mumbled.

"Why?" Harry asked.

"Because I don't have an ambition," Neville mumbled and looked pointedly on his shoes.

"Oh come on," Hermione rolled her eyes. "Everybody has their own ambitions, dreams, plans for the future."

"It was a miracle I got the letter," Neville mumbled. "My family considered me as a squib until I got it. I'm afraid of flying, I can't do accidental magic, not much of it anyway. And that's not the most hurting thing, you know."

"Then what is?" asked Sally-Anne gently.

"My parents …" Neville mumbled and blushed furiously. "They were the Aurors, dark wizards catchers, everybody keeps telling me that they were brilliant … and …"

"They expect to be like your parents?" Sally-Anne asked tentatively.

"They never say it, not directly … at least. But as you grew older, you learn to read between the lines. I'm a shame to my family, even if they don't say it. Shame to my parents, not good enough," Neville mumbled.

"There has to be something you are good at," Hermione interjected.

"I like Herbology, I love working with plants. But I'm shitty at everything else. But I want to be someone, made a name of my own, you know. I don't want to be a constant failure, I want to make my parents … proud, even if they won't realise … They don't even remember me," Neville whispered.

"What happened to them?" asked Sally-Anne very gently.

"Few months after You-Know-Who was gone his Death Eaters attacked us. They were tortured about his whereabouts, that's all I know. They lost their minds," Neville whispered brokenly. "They are alive but not really. They move, breath, eat … It is like there are here and yet … they are not."

Harry felt bad for Neville. Sure Harry had no parents and as much as it hurt him he was in a bit better predicament than Neville. At least he could tell himself that they might not suffer, that their deaths were quick, not painful. They weren't there. But being in Neville's shoes … seeing his parents, alive but yet not … unable to be recognised by them … That was really awful.

"They expect me to be like them," Neville kept talking. "But I don't want to. I want to be me, not a shadow of people who can't recognise their family … Sometimes I wish that they died that day. It would be painful, but not nearly as painful as seeing them the way they are now. They are like big children, unable to talk, unable to take care of themselves … I wish there was a way to … either heal them or let them die peacefully, without a pain. But there is none, they said that there is none."

"Who are these 'they'?" asked Sally-Anne.

"The Healers," Neville mumbled.

"They are like our doctors, aren't they?" asked Hermione gently. "They heal injured?"

Neville nodded.

"Maybe if you could try to become one," Sally-Anne suggested. "Look for treatment for your parents, for the cure."

"It would be brilliant," Neville sighed. "But I would need Potions for it and I can't even prepare a tea without burning myself," he added sheepishly.

"Well the base for Potions is in Herbology," said Hermione. "And you said yourself that you are good at Herbology."

"Not to mention that Potions are logical subject. If A reacts with B and gives C therefore C minus B gives A," added Harry pensively. "You are halfway there if you know Herbology, if you can tell the effects of a certain ingredient and the reactions between it and the other ingredient."

"You think?" Neville asked sheepishly.

"I don't think, I know," Harry said surly. "Professor Snape said so himself and as a Potions Master he is supposed to know what he is doing."

"Who says that he doesn't?" asked nasty voice from the doorway.

Harry glanced at the door and almost groaned. Draco Malfoy was standing in the doorway, he was surrounded by two boys taller than him but from the looks on their faces Harry guessed that they shared one brain-cell. Behind them was standing hard-faced girl with black-hair and dark-blue eyes. Next to her was standing tall and lanky boy with curly jet-black hair and dark-grey eyes. Somewhere behind them was standing a blond-haired girl, about an inch taller than the black-haired boy with a face of a pug and brown eyes. Next to her was standing petite blonde with pale blue eyes. She was followed by a girl with short strawberry-blonde haired girl with blue eyes. Next to her was standing brown-haired girl with pale blue eyes. The last person in the group was quite tall black boy with high cheekbones and long, slanting eyes.

"Well, well, who is travelling the train?" started Malfoy but it was the only thing he managed to say.

"IN! SIT! And if you even dare to as much as twitch I will have all of you scrubbing Hogwarts floors from the top to the bottom!" barked an angry voice.

The group of ten immediately fell into the compartment and scattered around at the free seats.

"Whom we are having here?" Regulus asked sarcastically.

"We are the Slytherins," said Malfoy quickly.

"Are you really?" Regulus asked sarcastically and raised his left eyebrow daringly. "If you are right then I will need to have my eyesight checked because all I see is a bunch of dressed in black cloaks and ties students with no house colours on them. Therefore I see that you are a bunch of unsorted first years and since I see no Sorting House around you have no way of knowing where you are going to be sorted. For all I see if there was a house for 'spawn of the greatest excuses in wizarding Britain' you will land in it."

"If my father …" Malfoy started but Regulus didn't even give him a chance to finish.

"If you are planning to say 'if my father hears about it you'll be sorry' brat, think about it before you finish this sentence. I don't fear that excuse of a man who happens to be your father, Malfoy. Yes, I know who you are boy. You are Draco Lucius Malfoy, son of Narcissa Black and Lucius Malfoy. Your mother was once a beautiful and talented woman but when she married your father she crossed her life," Regulus snorted sarcastically. "A daughter of Blacks and Lucius Malfoy. If it wasn't for the reputation of the house of your father the only relationship your father would be having would be the one with his right hand. Yes, I know your lot, the Malfoys. Proud servants of each Dark Lord almost from the very beginning … If Marius Malfoy ever saw his heirs now he would roll in his grave."

"How dare you!?" Malfoy snarled.

"I dare," Regulus snorted. "I have the authority and I dare to speak the truth. Your ancestors are nothing but a shame to the family. Tell me Mr Malfoy the family motto."

Malfoy shrugged and looked at his shoes.

"Un Malfoy cintre à aucun. A Malfoy bows to no one, Mr Malfoy. Shame that such noble motto has been dragged through the mud for ages by your ancestors. They served each Dark Lord who came around and what they got?" Regulus snorted. "Once powerful and wealthy Malfoys became poorer than the Weasleys, if it wasn't for your father's marriage with your mother the name of Malfoy would mean a scum. The house of Malfoy is nothing but a shame to Slytherin house, Salazar Slytherin would roll in his grave if he saw what is polluting his once prided house."

Malfoy said nothing, he only looked at his shoes and Harry saw tingles of red at the end of his ears.

"Whom else we have here?" Regulus said sarcastically as he stopped before Malfoy's bodyguards. "Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle who by any logic shouldn't be there. Tell me Mr Crabbe and Mr Goyle how one lives with knowledge of being a child of a brother and sister. Shame," Regulus snorted. "Real shame, especially in already well inbreed family. Salazar Slytherin wouldn't want any of you."

Crabbe and Goyle hung their heads as Regulus moved to the black boy.

"Mr Blaise Zabini. Or should I rather say Zabini-Campbell-Gregson-Foresterson-Escher-Humber-Sarielli. I'm sorry if I forgot to name your latest step-father but your mother keeps jumping in so many beds at such haste that it is impossible to keep up with 'Social' part of Daily Prophet. Such a coincidence that these poor buggers are mysteriously dying within a month of the wedding. Then again maybe the old proverb is right and sex can really kill, but we can't be sure, can we?" Regulus said ironically.

Zabini looked away from Regulus as he moved to black haired boy.

"Mr Theodore Nott," Regulus said icily. "How is your mother these days, boy?" the boy flinched visibly. "Oh, I forgot, your dearest father abused her to death and he didn't ended in Azkaban because she was already mental when she died. Who cared? Shame."

The boy blushed scarlet but said nothing as Regulus moved to hard-faced girl with black hair.

"Ms Pansy Parkinson," Regulus stated. "Your father is still playing Poker vehemently?" the girl turned scarlet. "I see that he is and these robes you are wearing clearly say that 'if my mother wasn't whoring herself on Knockturn Alley I would be wearing hand-me-downs'. Such a value for Slytherin, indeed."

The girl looked like she was about to cry as Regulus moved to pug-faced blonde.

"Ms Millicent Bulstrode," Regulus said icily. "That was once a fine name, Bulstrode. Until your father polluted it by sleeping around. What a coincidence that your unfortunate siblings didn't lived. It makes me wonder by what kind of accident you lived."

The girl flinched and looked away as Regulus moved to stand in front of the remaining three.

Harry didn't liked it, didn't liked him right now. Regulus seemed nice if a bit sarcastic but now he was downright cruel to students who didn't done anything wrong. Unless showing around in a big group was considered as wrong.

"STOP!" Harry yelled. "Stop in an instant!" he cried out as he sprung out from his seat. "What they had done to you?!"

Regulus opened his mouth to say something but he hadn't a chance to say anything because Harry's screams were joined by Hermione, Neville and Sally-Anne. Since there were yelling at the same time it was hard to distinguish who was yelling what.

"SILENCE!" came booming voice from the doorway and that's when Harry saw Snape, he looked furious, absolutely furious. "Lemeraude unless my memory fails me I'm the Head of Slytherin House, that's one. Two, get out in an instant before I will hex you into Australia. You four," his eyes lingered on Harry, Hermione, Neville and Sally-Anne, "sit. Lemeraude, I told you to leave!"

Regulus strode past Snape slamming the door so hard that the glass shacked dangerously. Snape leaned against the door and took a quick look at the compartment before he spoke quietly, "Potter, do tell what Lemeraude had done."

Harry stood up and looked Snape deadly in the eye as he answered, "He started insulting them. Telling bad things about them and their families. He is a teacher but he has no right to blame them for the faults of their families, if there are any, Professor. He was abusing his power of a Professor for no good reason. Disliking someone shouldn't be a reason of blaming their children for the crimes of their parents."

Snape didn't said anything for a long time but he didn't look away from Harry.

Finally Snape looked away and he said in cold voice, "Professor Lemeraude will be dealt with the abuse of his power accordingly. The four of you, however will be serving a detention with me on first Friday of the term for disrespecting a Professor. I won't allow a lack of discipline."

"They didn't had done anything wrong, Professor," said the girl with strawberry-blonde hair as she stood up. "It was Professor Lemeraude who overstepped his boundaries. What they were supposed to do? Hex him into next week?"

"Detention Ms Davis," Snape said coldly.

"She was telling the truth," added Blaise Zabini and he stood up.

"He is a nasty piece of work," added Theodore Nott as he stood up.

"Filthy liar," threw Pansy Parkinson as she stood up herself.

"And foul teacher," added Millicent Bulstrode as she stood up.

"He had no right and neither have you," added petite blonde when she stood up, Daphne Greengrass.

"That's right," added brown-haired girl vehemently and she sprung into standing position, Lillith Moon.

"They are right," added Crabbe and Goyle together as they scrambled to their feet.

For a moment there was silence since Snape was too stunned to speak and then Malfoy stood up and said, "If they are going to be punished for putting the bastard in his place then you will have to punish all of us, Professor."


Surely somewhere in Great Beyond Fate and Destiny were playing a game called 'Let's fuck with Severus's Life', Severus was sure of it. That was the only thought he could think off as he swept his gaze through the fourteen faces of his students. They were all standing in the middle of the compartment staring at him with obvious anger on their faces. Slytherins to the bone, kick one and the other will come to the rescue. But if they wanted it, then very well.

"Book Friday for the detention, after dinner, in Potions classroom, all of you," he huffed and stormed out, slamming the door as he left.

The classes didn't even had started and he was already developing a mammoth headache. Now it was time to find Pussy and put him in his place.

The door to the toilet they occupied earlier were slightly ajar and the smoke coming through it indicated that Pussy Git was inside. Severus strode there without the hesitation and quickly locked and warded the door.

"That was uncalled for!" he yelled at the other man. "What the fuck you were thinking?! No, that's the thing! You weren't!"

"Oh, I was," Regulus shrugged. "What I did, I did for a very good reason!"

"Enlighten me then why I have to put the whole bunch in a detention," Severus snorted.

"They are the Slytherins, most probably they will be the Slytherins, Severus," Regulus answered simply. "I have no problems with their colours but their motivation to wear them. Most of their families were in Slytherin and they would go there to please them. I … we can't have it. A bunch of brainless followers of their parents won't do us any good. I wanted them to think, and think hard about choosing their paths. From there is only one step into serving the Dark Lord, one or the other. I won't allow it."

"By insulting their families?" Severus snorted.

"By not making them perfect. A mere shadow will make them question their parents motives, it will make them suspicious and then they will be able to make a decision for themselves and themselves only," Regulus answered.

"That will get you into deep shit," Severus snorted. "Nevertheless you would go there and you will apologise."

"Not today. I will come down to the detention and then I will, till then they will need to think about what I said. Hopefully I interrupted in future harvesting of Death Eaters in training," Regulus shrugged.

Severus was an inch away from banging his head against the door.


"Greasy git," Malfoy snorted. "It's obvious that he is siding with that excuse of a teacher."

"We should have hexed the bastard into next Friday," Hermione huffed. "At least that detention will be worth it."

"A well aimed prank would probably do," said Sally-Anne. "But it has to be something spectacular, something with a bang."

"Like a bomb?" Harry asked. "Surely we don't want to kill him, just make him worry about his hide."

"There are few nice hexes which will look good on him," Malfoy snorted.

"Then let's plan it," Neville suggested.

"With something nice for Snape on the side," added Pansy Parkinson. "Something to remind him that he is supposed to stick up for his students."

"How about changing the decor of his rooms to Gryffindor?" asked Goyle.

"Right, he can't stand the colouring," nodded Malfoy. "And Lemeraude's into Slytherin."

"That won't do," Harry shook his head. "Most probably his rooms are having Slytherin decor. He was a Slytherin, unless he was lying."

"The more reason to prank him, nasty bugger," hoofed Millicent Bulstrode.

"Well, a little plan wouldn't hurt," said Hermione and she dug into her bag.

She fished out a piece of parchment and a quill from the bag and seated herself, "So, keep giving the ideas."

"Who are you?" asked Malfoy.

"Hermione Granger," Hermione answered simply.

"There is no family named Granger," Malfoy scrunched his nose.

"Of course, there isn't," Hermione rolled her eyes. "I'm a Muggle-born."

"A …" Malfoy started but was whacked across the head by Nott.

"Don't you even finish that, Malfoy. They have more balls than you do," Nott glared at him.

"Oh, look who's talking, Nott," Malfoy snorted.

Pansy Parkinson rolled her eyes and whacked both of them across the head before she said to Hermione, "Is there a Muggle-thing which would scare them shitless, Granger?"

"Well, there is a bomb," Sally-Anne suggested. "As adults they should be at least tad familiar with dangerous things in Muggle world."

"A tickling clock in a box," Hermione snickered. "That would scare them shitless. If they are familiar with the word 'time-bomb' they will be running from Hogwarts faster than they can say 'Magic'."

"What's a time-bomb?" asked Millicent.

"It's a mix of explosive materials with a timer so it doesn't goes off when it isn't supposed to but on a certain, appointed earlier, time," Hermione explained.

"That would be good," said Tracey Davies. "Especially if we somehow managed to put a charm in that box so when it goes off it would change everything in the room into Gryffindor decor, at least for Snape."

"There are ways," Malfoy muttered. "We should ride the library for that charm. What about Lemeraude?"

"There is a nice plant which looks very much alike like a venomous tentacula," Neville suggested. "It's called Kissing Plant, from what I read it is really perverted thing."

"But how we are going to get one?" asked Daphne Greengrass.

"I heard from my gran that Professor Sprout used to have one in one of the greenhouses. Of course it's probably warded beyond normal capacity and for a good reason too," Neville said pensively.

"Well in worst case we can always buy one," sighed Zabini.

"How so?" asked Goyle.

"Polyjuice Potion, Goyle," Malfoy rolled his eyes. "We can't buy one but we can make it."

"Let's wait for deciding who would be the best to tend to the potion until first potions," suggested Lillith Moon.

"I can nick boomslangs skin," Draco muttered.

"I have bicorn horn, somewhere," Neville added.

"So first thing tomorrow is riding the library?" asked Pansy Parkinson.

"Harry," Hermione nudged him. "You have Potions books with you."

Harry immediately went to his trunk and started handing Malfoy who was the closest to him the Potions books. They skipped through five of them without a mention about Polyjuice Potion and finally they found it in Advanced Potion Making. The rest of the books went back to the trunk and the group of thirteen started leafing through the chapter concerning Polyjuice Potion as Nott was keeping the guard on the door.

By the time Snape and Regulus came back, both looking sulky the group of fourteen was playing Exploding Snap like a bunch of good kids who weren't planning to scare their professors into New Year.


Something didn't felt right for Severus but couldn't put a finger on that. The bunch of Slytherins-to-be playing Exploding Snap with Harry Potter, Neville Longbottom and two Muggle-borns was everything but not good.

Severus glanced at Regulus who was reading something which by the title looked like a romance novel even if it was written in Ancient Runes. True to his words, Regulus hardly spared a glance at the kids when they came back into the compartment and Severus could only hope that Regulus was right. If he wasn't then he just made few quite powerful enemies.

Severus's gaze settled on the kids again. Exploding Snap was full on and chattering was one he was surprised to listen to . By the time the trolley with the sweets arrived he was nudged by Regulus who gave him five galleons. On times when they both happened to wander into Honeydukes on Hogsmead weekends Severus got accustomed of the meaning of five galleons. Five galleons meant, five boxes of Bettie Boot's Every Flavour Beans, twenty Drooble's Best Blowing Gums, five Liquorice Wands, five boxes of Chocolate Frogs and Always Buzzing Cherry Juice. He sighed as he accepted the five galleons from Regulus before he pulled out one galleon for one Buzzing Pear Juice, box of Bettie Boot's Every Flavour Beans and one Liquorice Wand.

Kids wasted no time at fishing the money from their pockets and buying bits of everything from the trolley by the time Severus even managed to stand up. When he came back from the corridor he dropped most of the sweets into Regulus's lap and he seated himself with one Liquorice Wand in hand before he started flipping absent-mindedly through the latest edition of 'Potions Quarterly'.

For better part of next two hours he kept snorting every now and then when he was reading and rereading the review of Pontius Gallahan's latest book and reviews of said review. Sometimes it was great fun to have his name prefixed with the title P.M.

"Yuck!" Regulus yelped suddenly and he flew to the window at his top speed and chucked the book out through it.

"Not a good book?" Severus snorted.

"You can say so," Regulus shrugged. "It was relatively nice for the most part but when I got into the part about black leather and shackles it stopped being nice."

"Keep in mind that you are in the same compartment with fourteen children, Lemeraude," Severus snorted.

"I will bear it in mind, Severus," Regulus snorted and he fell back on his seat.

For about a minute the only sound in the compartment was still ongoing game of Exploding Snap until something blew up about two feet away from Severus.

That was Regulus's annoying habit. He was perverted about Drooble's Best Blowing Gum and he could blew balloons for hours if someone didn't distracted him. Too bad for him that Severus himself wasn't fond of blowing the balloons, especially the part when they were exploding so one minute after the first balloon burst out Regulus was covered from head to toe in the gum.

"Wicked," Neville Longbottom mumbled nervously.

"Oldest trick in the book, Mr Longbottom," Severus admitted without raising his eyes from his newspaper.

"When we are going to reach Hogwarts, Professor?" asked Hermione curiously.

"In two hours, Ms Granger," Severus replied as he checked his battered watch. "Which reminds me," he rolled up his newspaper and whacked Regulus across the head, "that we are supposed to be patrolling the train."

"Bugger off, Severus," Regulus snorted. "The train is full of the Prefects."

"Who will be more busy snogging around the corners than the rest of the students. Get your lazy behind and do some work," Severus snorted.

"You best prepare detentions slips," Regulus muttered.

"I'm not the one doing the patrolling," Severus replied swiftly and he came back to reading his newspaper.

The silence didn't lasted longer than two minutes after Regulus had left before he was called back to Regulus's aid by Grace Delano who looked quite red on her face.

He left the kids in the compartment and he went to join Regulus in third carriage.

When he get there Regulus was leaning against the door and in front of him, red in their faces and practically naked were his sixth year Prefect and a fellow Prefect from Ravenclaw from the same year.

One hour worth tongue lashing about carelessness of young people and assigning two, one year worth detentions later he went to patrol the train further with Regulus at his side. They came back to their compartment barely five minutes before they were supposed to reach Hogwarts. By that time the kids were already dressed in their school robes (those who weren't dressed by the time they entered their compartment, anyway) and were busy talking about various stuff.

Draco was talking with Harry, Nott and Zabini over something which sounded like Quidditch. Neville was talking with Pansy Parkinson, Daphne Greengrass and Millicent Bulstrode and Crabbe and Goyle was listening to their conversation. Hermione Granger, Sally-Anne Perks, Lillith Moon and Tracey Davis were talking animatedly over something. Everybody seemed to be the best friends ever.

And that was disturbing to Severus. However he didn't had enough time to ponder upon it because they reached Hogsmead station. He send Regulus off to keep a carriage for them as he lead the first years to Hagrid.

The ride to Hogwarts was relatively calm one. Severus wasn't in mood for talking and neither was Regulus but as soon as they reached Hogwarts they went to the library to check something on the subject of Horcruxes. They spent some time mulling over the subject until they realised that they were late for the sorting and that was a thing Severus didn't want to miss.

They broke into neck-braking speed and they managed to slip into Great Hall just as McGonagall called out, "Potter, Harry,"

'Please let it not be a Slytherin,' Severus begged the hat mentally. 'Any house but not Slytherin.'


Professor Snape lead them to Hagrid and left them with him on the platform. In a matter of one minute they were joined by their fellow students from the first year.

"C'mon, follow me – anymore firs' years. Min yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!" Hagrid called out.

Slipping and stumbling, they followed Hagrid down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was so dark on either side of them that Harry thought there must be thick trees there. Nobody spoke much. Neville only flinched visibly but Blaise patted his shoulder reassuringly as he said.

"There isn't anything dangerous there, Nev. They wouldn't let us come to Hogwarts this way if there was."

"Ye' all get yer firs' sight of Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called out over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here."

There was loud "Oooooh!"

The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great, black lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.

"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Harry and Neville followed Hermione and Daphne Greengrass into one boat. Draco, Nott, Crabbe and Goyle got into following one, as did Sally-Anne, Pansy Parkinson, Millicent Bulstrode and Tracey Davis. Blaise Zabini and Lillith Moon landed in one boat with black haired boy and blonde haired girl. "Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid, who had the boat to himself. "Right then - FOREWARD!"

And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood.

"Heads down!" yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbour, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles.

They clambered up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid's lamp, coming out at last onto smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle. They walked up a flight of stone steps around the huge, oak door.

"Everyone here?" Hagrid asked as he raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.

The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had a very stern face and Harry's first thought was this was not someone to cross.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."

She pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was so big you could have fit the whole of the Dursleys' house in it. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches like the ones at Gringotts, the ceiling was too tall to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them lead to the upper floors.

They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. Harry could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right – the rest of the school must already be here – but Professor McGonagall showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, standing rather closer together than they would usually have done, peering about nervously.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house would be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room."

"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honour. I hope that each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours."

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest that you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."

Her eyes lingered on a red-haired boy who was standing on Neville's right and his friends who looked like they didn't had time to properly fasten their robes. Harry nervously flattened his hair.

"I shall return while you are ready," said Professor McGonagall. "Please wait quietly."

She left the chamber. Harry swallowed.

Suddenly about twenty of ghosts had just streamed through the back wall. Pearly-white and slightly transparent, they glided across the room talking to one another and hardly glancing at the first years. They seemed to be arguing. What looked like a fat little monk was saying: "Forgive and forget, "I say, we ought to give him a second chance – "

"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really a ghost – I say, what you are doing here?"

A ghost wearing a ruff and thighs had suddenly noticed the first years.

Nobody answered.

"New students!" said the Fat Friar, smiling around at them. "About to be Sorted, I suppose?"

A few people nodded mutely.

"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" said the Friar. "My old house, you know."

"Move along," said a sharp voice. "The Sorting Cermony's about to start."

Professor McGonagall had returned. One by one, the ghosts float away through the opposite wall.

"Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall told the first years, "and follow me."

Feeling oddly as though his legs had turned to lead, Harry got into the line right behind Hermione and in front of Neville, and they walked out, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall.

Harry had never imagined such a strange and splendid place. It was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. These tables were laid with glittering plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long tables where the teachers were sitting and a quick glance at it revealed Harry that neither Snape nor Regulus weren't around, but Harry calmed his nerves telling himself that they were probably just running a bit late. Professor McGonagall lead the first years up here, so that they came to halt in a line facing the other students with their teachers behind them. The hundreds of face staring at them looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone misty silver. Mainly to avoid all the staring eyes, Harry looked upward and saw a velvety black ceiling dotted with the stars.

He heard Hermione whisper, "Its bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in Hogwarts, A History."

It was hard to believe there was a ceiling there at all, and that the Great Hall didn't simply open on the heavens.

Harry quickly looked down again as Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On the top of the stool she put a pointed wizard's hat, without a mistake, the Sorting Hat. For a few seconds, there was a complete silence. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth – and the hat begun to sing:

Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can top them all.
There's nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
If you've a steady mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folk use any means
To achieve their ends.
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!

The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of four tables and then became quite silent again.

Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "Abbot, Hannah!"

A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of the line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moment pause –

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.

The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table. Harry saw the ghost of the Fat Friar waving merrily at her.

"Bones, Susan!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat again, and Susan scuttled off to sit next to Hannah.

"Boot, Terry!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

The table second to the left clapped this time; several Ravenclaws stood up to shake his hand with Terry as he joined them.

"Brocklehurst, Mandy," went to Ravenclaw too, but "Brown, Lavender," became the first new Gryffindor, and the table on the far left exploded with cheers: Harry could see a pair of red-heads catcalling.

"Bulstrode, Millicent!" was called forward and she made her way to the stool nervously.

The hat barely touched her head before it yelled, "SLYTHERIN!"

Millicent gave them small smile and she went to sit at the farthest table on the right.

"Cornfoot, Stephen!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Crabbe, Vincent," went to Slytherin, so did "Davis, Tracey."

"Entwhistle, Kevin!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Finnigan, Seamus," seemed to be tad to sort because he spent whole minute on the stool before the hat declared him a Gryffindor.

"Goldstein, Anthony!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Goyle, Gregory!"

"SLYTHERIN!"

Then, there was another name.

"Granger, Hermione!"

Hermione almost run to the stool and jammed the hat eagerly on her head. For a long moment there was silence before …

"SLYTHERIN!"

Hermione gave Harry and Neville a quick, reassuring smile before she run to Slytherin table and sat down next to Millicent, Tracey and Crabbe and Goyle who moved to make a room for her.

"Greengrass, Daphne," became a Slytherin too.

"Hopkins, Wayne!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Jones, Megan!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Li, Su!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

When Neville's name was called, Neville staggered nervously to the stool. The hat kept him there for two long minutes before it finally declared him a Slytherin to his utmost shock, but nevertheless Neville went to Slytherin table and seated himself on the opposite side of the table to Crabbe and Goyle.

"MacDougal, Morag," made Ravenclaw to hers utmost horror and not even called out, "MacMillan, Ernie," made her move from the stool. MacMillan rolled his eyes and took the hat from him and put it on his head.

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Malfoy, Draco!" was called next. The hat barely touched his head and it yelled:

"SLYTHERIN!"

Draco went to sit next to Neville but not without small wink in Harry's general direction.

"Moon, Lillith," "Nott, Theodore," Parkinson, Pansy," made three Slytherins in a row and they quickly seated themselves with the rest. "Patil, Padma," made a Ravenclaw and her twin sister, "Patil, Parvati," made Gryffindor. Finally there was, "Perks, Sally-Anne," who went to Slytherin and finally there was, "Potter, Harry!"

As Harry stepped forward, whispers suddenly broke out like little hissing fires all over the hall.

"Potter, did she say?"

"The Harry Potter?"

Harry absent-mindedly noted Snape and Regulus slipping into two empty seats as he walked towards the stool.

The last thing Harry saw before the hat dropped over his eyes was the hall full of people craning to get a good look at him. Next second he was looking at the black inside of the hat. He waited.

"Hmm," said a small voice in his ear. "Difficult. Very difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind either. There's a talent. A, my goodness, yes – and a thirst to prove yourself, now that's interesting. So where shall I put you?"

Harry gripped the edge of the stool and thought feverishly, Slytherin, please let me be in Slytherin with my friends.

"Slytherin," said the hat. "Are you sure? Slytherin will help you with greatness but it will not make you the most popular kid around."

To the hell with it, Harry thought. I want to be with my friends.

"So be it," said the hat."SLYTHERIN!"

Harry heard the hat shout the last word to the whole hall. He took of the hat just in the moment he heard chocking noises coming from the teachers table. He turned his head around and saw Regulus swatting Snape's back who appeared to chook out on the contest of the goblet in front of him. Outside Snape's coughing the hall fell so silent that the buzz of a stray fly would echo in the hall like a buzz of a thousand of them.

Harry approached Slytherin table and seated himself next to Theodore and Daphne.

Said weakly, "Rivers, Alfred," made Ravenclaw. He was followed by "Roper, Sophie," who went to Gryffindor along with "Runcorn, Ted". "Smith, Zacharias" made Hufflepuff, "Spinks, Elizabeth," went to Gryffindor, "Summers, Rachel," went to Hufflepuff. To Gryffindor went "Thomas, Dean," and "Turpin, Lisa," made Ravenclaw and there was a turn of a red-headed boy. A Weasley, if what Snape told him was truth since the other remaining student, was Blaise.

It took a longer moment before "Weasley, Ron," made Gryffindor and then there was Blaise's turn. Weasley got a booming welcome from the Gryffindors as Blaise walked to the stool.

Fifteen seconds later Blaise was seated next to Neville. Professor McGonagall rolled up her scroll and took the Sorting Hat away.

Previously busied with watching remaining part of the Sorting Harry glanced at the High Table. At the end farthest to him sat Hagrid who looked like someone just whacked him across the head with a very huge rock. When his eyes caught Harry's he gave him a sheepish smile but he quickly turned away to talk with an older wizard with wooden leg and scarred face. Next to him was sitting the most repulsing looking man, Harry ever saw. The witch who happened to be sitting next to him looked like she wanted to trade places with her neighbour, a witch with glasses so big that she reminded Harry a big fly. Another witch with short, spiky grey hair and yellowish, much like hawk's, eyes was talking with Professor McGonagall. Next to Professor McGonagall, in the centre of Head Table, in a large golden chair sat the man who without a mistake had to be Professor Dumbledore. Next to him, in normal chair was sitting a plum witch who liked like she was pulled away from gardening to attend the feast. Her other companion was small man with huge beard, he was sitting on a couple of thick books, he was engrossed in conversation with a witch in nurse robes. Then there were sitting two relatively young women, the one closer to Dumbledore's chair had long light brown hair and blue eyes, the other's hair were black as raven's wing. Next to them was sitting Quirrel who was fidgeting. Next to Quirrel, looking like someone just poisoned him, was sitting Snape. Next to him, completely unaffected by Harry's sorting was sitting Regulus.

Suddenly Professor Dumbledore had gotten to his feet. He was beaming at the students, his arms opened wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see them all there.

"Welcome," he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!" he sat back again.

Everybody clapped and cheered. Harry didn't know whatever to laugh or not. He looked at the faces of the other first years, they appeared to be having the same dilemma. The empty dishes which were standing on the table suddenly were filled with food. He had never seen so many things he wanted to eat on one table: roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup, and, for some strange reason, peppermint humbugs.

The Dursleys had never exactly starved Harry but there were times where Harry would kill someone for a slice of a bread which had gone bad and a glass of milk – such a nice taste after drinking water from the tap in the bathroom when he was on 'No Food' punishment.

Busied with eating and the chatter of his new friends he didn't noticed that Dumbledore and four other teachers slipped away from their places.


Severus barely touched the roast beef which Regulus put on his plate by the time he felt Dumbledore's gaze on himself. It rarely happened but Severus knew that the Heads of the Houses were supposed to meet immediately in the chamber next to the hall, the one which had the door on Severus's right. Severus got to his feet and walked into the chamber without hesitation. Ten seconds later he was joined by Pomona Sprout, Professor Flitwick and Professor McGonagall.

Dumbledore came in as the last person, he pulled out his wand and conjured five fluffy purple armchairs. The rest of the Heads sat down but Severus remained docile in his place, leaning with his back against the wall.

"I trust that this year's Sorting Ceremony was very surprising one. Severus?" Dumbledore said and his gaze fixed on Severus.

Severus hold the gaze as he answered icily, "I did nothing to encourage the boy into being sorted into Slytherin, Dumbledore. In fact I did everything to prevent it."

That was the truth, mostly. He warned Harry and Hermione to not get themselves sorted into Slytherin … Speaking about Hermione, he didn't spotted her and he wondered where the girl had ended. He hated it to be Gryffindor, the world hardly needed next Lily Evans and Severus Snape, friends separated by their houses.

"I didn't meant just Harry, Severus," Dumbledore shook his head. "I was also speaking about Neville Longbottom and Hermione Granger and Sally-Anne Perks. They are all Slytherins, did you forgot that part?"

There are what?

"Lemeraude and I got a bit delayed," Severus admitted. "We entered the Great Hall in the moment Potter was called."

"Current events lead me into thinking that we need to call back once abandoned tradition, my dear friends. Most specifically I'm thinking about Slytherin but the other houses needs to keep the appearance for not raising too much suspicions," Dumbledore said pensively.

"What you have in mind, Albus?" asked Professor McGonagall.

"I was thinking about adding one of the remaining professors to your aid as the Deputy Head of the House. Each of you have to chose one person who would step in into your duties if you are unable to attend them yourself. They will have the same authorities but you will keep the title of the Head of your houses," Dumbledore explained. "Minerva?"

"I pick Rolanda, Albus. She would be good as Deputy Head of Gryffindor," Professor McGonagall said as she rubbed the bridge of her nose. "She knows discipline."

"Lawrence would be fine with keeping an eye on Hufflepuff for me, plus he was in Hufflepuff. I trust that the same rules which are applying to us are applying to them?" Pomona Sprout asked.

"I was wondering …" Professor Flitwick had started but Severus didn't gave him a chance to finish.

It was an impulse, a hunch, completely irrational but he had to make his claim for deputy before Flitwick did.

"I chose Mufrid," Severus said quickly.

"I was under impression that you weren't the best of friends," said Dumbledore, his eyes twinkled merrily.

"We aren't," Severus replied. "But the ride with him proved me that he is able to hold the discipline better than Aurora Sinistra."

"Aurora was in Slytherin, Severus. Mufrid is a foreigner," Dumbledore pointed out.

How to make sure beyond any doubt that Regulus was a Slytherin without revealing his identity? He could lie or he could tell the truth.

"He was in Slytherin, Albus," Severus said and he hesitated. Whatever he chose to reveal now would determine the further actions. "He isn't Mufrid Alphard Lemeraude," he paused and looked at the shocked faces of his colleagues. "His real name is Regulus Arcturus Black."

Four pairs of eyes focused on him showing the only emotion, an utter shock.


Awaiting criticism - like always. I'm replying as long as you leave me your email or you log in while reviewing. Bring my ego down ;)

Replies to annoymous (by definition) review:

neosildrake - The problem with Regulus lies with Sirius and Regulus's incapcity to destroy all Horcruxes by himself. He can suspect where they are but alone he won't do much. Then there is the fact that he believes that the Dursleys are not the best guardians for Harry. There comes the issue of Sirius and Tonks, she is going to be helpfull in freeing Sirius and that's why Regulus confides in her. Harry and Hermione in a way are self-explanatory. Harry needs to know what lies ahead and Regulus has a senitment to girls named Hermione (not that he had meet many, but still he married one). In this chapter there is a downfall for Regulus, he no longer will remain Mufrid Alphard Lemeraude in the eyes of remaing Heads of the Houses and Dumbledore. What Snape had done can be viewed as treachery but it's really not. Still in a way Severus shileds him, he feels responsible for making him a Death Eater (by bringing him to Voldemort) and the life he leads now. The extent of Severus's choice in this chapter would be explained in the next one properly (and there would be few lies going around). Snape's beahviour on the train ... well I was writing that part more with Regulus's prank in mind but on logical ground ... they were there for about two hours before the train was supposed to depart, the compartemnt they used remains hidden for this who deosn't care for it and what kind of harm could do two calm, bookish students? It would be nice to answer questions directly, so please next time you review either log in or leave your email.

Shinigami - Nice to see you around again. I agree on everything you said in your review except Hufflepuff part (though I think that I saw around a Harry!Hufflepuff story) though this one is Slytherin!Harry (obviously, seeing that he already got there). You always give me a lot of stuff to ponder on but the fact that you don't leave your email or log in makes me unable to answer your questions right away (hint, hint).


Sniffy's Random Ramblings:

So Regulus can be even meanier than Snape ... he explains his reasoning for his outburst rather well to Severus. I suspect that a bunch of Slytherins-to-be might seem out of character but ... Firstly think about the fact that almost all of them and the names of their families were dragged through the mud and riddiculed, no matter if what they were told was the truth or not. Secondly they want revenge on Regulus for being everything they called him in this chapter and Snape for protecting Regulus's ass and punishing them. Sheeming a revenge makes them interreact with each other, interreaction leads to getting to know each other better. I don't say that they are all best friends ever (though it might seem that I'm saying it from Severus's point of view but I'm reall not), the act they pulled on the train (the one I reffered to a moment ago) was a part of revenge on Severus and Regulus, it is disturbing and the kids want them to feel at least a bit disturbed. Hermione, the next issue is Hermione reffering to hexing Regulus into next week might be taken as out of character behaviour but it is really not, Hermione is fair, they got punished for sticking up to their classmates without a very good reason therefore Hermione mutters that they should have hexed Regulus to make that detention justifable one. Finally, Harry's issue, particulary the part when he says that he wants to be with his friends, he doesn't means everybody who rode with him to Hogwarts but since Hermione, Neville and even Sally-Anne are there then why shouldn't he be in the same house with his friends. Note the fact that (just as I said in first chapter's notes) this story isn't exactly Weasley friendly one and Ron doesn't get to meet Harry. Back to the sorting issue about friends: I've read (and loved to the bits) Snape's Second Chance by omega13a (thank You by the way for being here and I'm sorry for not reviewing but usually when I read new chapters of Your story I'm recently back from work and I'm too knackered to write something coherent) during his sorting in Snape's Second Chance Harry lets the hat decide for him, here the sorting is different because Harry made friends who are in Slytherin already, therefore he is strongly motivated to get himself sorted into Slytherin too. I hope that I addressed the most pressing issues of this chapter here and if not feel free to ask me.


Next chapter: The talk from the end of this chapter continues and Regulus is less than happy about being discovered (which in the end leads to a catfight where one of the parties is indeed a cat while the other remains still human, go ahead and guess who is going to look like he had a meeting with angry lion). Harry and the rest settle in Slytherin dormitory and they continue to plan they revenge.